In that vein I’ve started an Instagram hashtag (still with me?), #FancyDrinkFriday! Follow along, post your own fancy drinks with the hashtag, and let’s all get a little fancier!

First up, the classic Tom Collins. I try my hand at gin for the first time (tonic is evil and must be destroyed, and poor gin has been brought down by it’s nastiness for too long). Verdict: I like it! Anything with ample amounts of citrus juice is good in my book.

Tom Collins (serves one, adjust at will)

Ingredients

2 ounces gin

1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup (you can make your own: combine 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water, dissolve over medium heat for about 5 minutes until all the sugar has dissolved. Let cool)

Fill a Collins glass, which are usually tall and slender, or a tumbler, with ice. Pour the gin mixture over the ice, then fill the rest of the glass with club soda. Stir once, throw a cherry on top, and call it cocktail hour.